Electric switch



No. 625,2I9. Patented May 16, I899.

C. TBUITT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(Application filed June 20, 1898.)

(No Model.)

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE 'IRUITT, OF ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,219, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed June 2 0, 1898. Serial No. 683,942. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, CLARENCE TRUITT,a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches, more especially that class applicable to incandescent lamps.

It has for its object, among other things, to provide for putting the filaments in series in circuit, either or both filaments in circuit, or the filaments in parallel in circuit in a simple and ready manner.

The invention therefore consists of a series of contacts and leading-in-wire binding-posts, together with a series of, say, three wires connecting with said contacts, and a centrallypivoted lever orswitch proper having metallic contact-points adapted to engage orcouple said series or contacts and wires, all substantially as hereinafter more fully disclosed, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is an inner end view of the lamp-base. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the circuit-wires and filaments.

A refers to a support or base of suitable nonconducting material suitably disposed as, for instance, upon the wall. Upon this base is arranged or secured a series of three arcu'ate metallic contacts B B B disposedin substantially a circle, and O G are the leading-in-wire binding-posts. The binding-posts C C engage extended arcuate castings or contacts 0 0, arranged also upon said base interiorly of said arcuate contacts B B B the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

D is a centrally-pivoted lever or bar of noncondu'cting material having a suitable thumbnut-like piece or button cl and suitably hung or fulcrumed and insulated at its pivot upon the base A and carrying at its ends forked springs D D with their divergent or free ends adapted to span between and engage the contacts B B B and the binding-post con-' tacts 0 C according as the lever D is moved or turned by the hand.

, Wires E E E preferably three, connect the contacts B B B to suitable metallic plates or contacts 6 e 2 upon the lamp-base at its F F of the lamp, as shown.

In the use of the extended leading-in-wire binding-post contacts 0 0 it will be seen that the spring-contacts D D of the switchnection with the binding-posts and the leading-in wires throughout the movement of said switch-lever.

It will therefore be observed that by suitably manipulating or moving the lever D, as required,by grasping its thumb-nut-like piece or button dthe springs or contacts D Dicarried thereby can be readily shifted as to their points of contact between the parts B B B b and 0 0 so as to cut in or cut out any required filaments or lamps, according to the amount of light or illumination wantedats, for instance, by shifting the lever D so as to make contact between or couple 0 B and C O B and C 13 filament F is brought into circuit, by coupling (J B and O B at b the filaments are brought into parallel, and by placed in circuit.

Preferably I use herewith my duplex or multi filament lamp, fully covered by Letters Patent granted to me. I

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric switch for incandescent lamps,the combination of a series of extended and concentrically-arranged contacts having tiple-filament lamp or pair of lamps, and an axially pivoted or actuated lever having bridging contacts at its ends whereby said concentric contacts are electrically connected and the lamp-filaments are variously lighted singly, or in series, or in multiple, substan tially as set forth.

2. In an electric switch for incandescent lamps, the combination of a series of extended connections with the binding-posts of a mul- B the filaments are in series, by coupling lower end, thence uniting with the filaments 7 lever D are enabled to effect continuous conconnecting C B and C B the filament F is I connections with-the binding-posts, of a muland concentrically-arranged contacts having tiple-filament'lamp or pair of lamps, a separate series of concentrically-arranged contacts adapted to be engaged one with the other and an axially pivoted or actuated lever haying bridgingflcontacts between said contacts, substantially as set forth. 7

3. In an electric switch for incandescent lamps, the combination of a series of extended and concentrically-arranged contacts having connections with the binding-posts, a separate series of concentrically-arranged contacts adapted to be engaged one with the other, an axially pivoted or actuated lever having bridging contacts between said contacts, and the filament-wires connected with 'a series of intermediary contacts, one filament-Wire connecting with two contacts and the other filalnent wire arranged intermediarily of the latter filament-wire and having connection with a third contact and one of the contacts of said latter filament-wire, said'latter contacts having wire connection with the first-named contacts, substantially asset forth. 7 I

4:. In an electric switch for incandescent lamps, the combination of a series of arcuate 

